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Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by sulam on Monday March 06, 2017 @09:54AM (#13802998)
My IQ tested in this range, and I've broken some laws that aren't entirely common. I managed to get a copy of the master key to my campus and had essentially unfettered access to all the buildings and rooms I wanted, provided I was careful (for a while I shifted my waking time so that I was able to take more advantage). I got into software development as a profession by way of breaking into systems for several years. This was a time when the only way to get the access I needed normally was to be in the major and I wasn't.

I've never killed anyone, although I can think of one instance where I considered it and would certainly have gotten away with it. It would have been a big hassle, though, and honestly who wants that on their conscience?

At the end of the day it seems to me that I've only done the things other people would have also done if the opportunity arose. I may be somewhat more attuned to those opportunities than the average person, but in many cases they arrived after a cascade of events that weren't specifically aimed at any kind of criminality. At worst I was initially guilty of a high degree of curiousity.

The only thing that really resonates for me in this article is low attachment, although I find it hard to really quantify that. I do seem to have fewer friends than most people, but there are probably mathematical reasons for that. I am confident in my ability to make friends, but don't feel like making the effort usually. I have a busy life and can barely keep up with work and family -- having more than a few good friends outside those two groups takes more time than I have.

Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by 0xfeba on Monday March 06, 2017 @10:19AM (#13803186)
> I managed to get a copy of the master key to my campus and had essentially unfettered access to all the buildings and rooms I wanted

Wow, your campus used one lock type and the same master key for all buildings? That's great foresight and coordination across multiple levels of business, construction and maintenance teams. What about older buildings with completely different types of locks? They switched those out as new buildings came up, or are all the buildings new?

Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by sulam on Monday March 06, 2017 @10:30AM (#13803280)
My campus had a range of buildings from brand new to 300 years old. I never found anywhere that the key didn't work, although I didn't try in residences or places likely to have money. It for sure worked in newer and older buildings. I think it was used by facilities so that they could clean, although I can tell you there were a lot of places they could have cleaned that they clearly didn't. ;)
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by owenversteeg on Monday March 06, 2017 @10:35AM (#13803313)
It's possible they were at a college campus that had electronic entry for most buildings - there are a lot of those these days, and some have been operating over the whole campus for 10-15 years. Graduate school + edge of this range and they could be in their mid-40s now.
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by sulam on Monday March 06, 2017 @10:42AM (#13803367)
I'm a lot older than that, sadly. ;)
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by brilliantcode on Monday March 06, 2017 @01:24PM (#13804777)
It sounds like you were more of a inquisitive individual with misguided boundaries that hasn't been instilled in you by adult figures in your early childhood, in which low attachment is a tall tale sign.

I think everyone thinks about taking somebody out. For instance, a large pick up truck cutting in front of you, people honking behind you at a red light etc.

It's not the hassle that stops you but you know at the end of the day, it's ephemeral. Going postal on highway 99 to work while satiate your blood lust, the overwhelming punishment and destruction should offer enough of a foresight for higher IQ individuals to short circuit their violent desires.

Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by csomar on Monday March 06, 2017 @01:43PM (#13804966)
It'd be careful to write this comment under a new account. Your other comments under this account could possibly identify you.
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by sulam on Monday March 06, 2017 @04:26PM (#13806204)
Sure. I'm not worried about it, the statute of limitations protects me on everything I've said here. :)
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by mmmpop on Monday March 06, 2017 @10:14AM (#13803150)
> I've never killed anyone, although I can think of one instance where I considered it and would certainly have gotten away with it. It would have been a big hassle, though, and honestly who wants that on their conscience?

HN is not your shrink. I would avoid making these kinds of admissions on a public forum.

Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by Retric on Monday March 06, 2017 @10:23AM (#13803218)
It's a terrible idea to say something like that to your shrink. The odds of something bad happening are probably lower on a public form.
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by sulam on Monday March 06, 2017 @10:46AM (#13803395)
Honestly why would a shrink care? "Hey doctor, I considered doing this thing once and decided it was a bad idea." "Yep, that would have been horrible -- good job!"

I mean seriously, are we so constrained by society that we aren't even allowed to consider things? I guarantee I am not the only decent person who has considered that I could take a life and decided against it. It's probably a daily occurrence in some fields.

Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by Retric on Monday March 06, 2017 @11:39AM (#13803783)
Should have included this in my comment: https://www.buzzfeed.com/rosalindadams/intake

But basically, your interests are not necessarily aligned with your doctor's interests. If they are trying to find grounds you are a risk to yourself or others, then such statement can be taken as such.

Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by 55555 on Monday March 06, 2017 @11:20AM (#13803643)
There's a radiolab episode (not the best source, but not the worst either) about how most people seriously consider murder at least once in their life.
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by mmmpop on Monday March 06, 2017 @12:48PM (#13804433)
When you get so far as to consider how you'd get rid of the body, you've probably gone a step past "most people".
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by FabHK on Monday March 06, 2017 @11:09AM (#13803563)
In many jurisdictions, things you say to your shrink are privileged information, if I'm not mistaken.
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by Retric on Monday March 06, 2017 @11:38AM (#13803776)
Assuming someone is on your side when they are not is a huge mistake. In one case people are being committed in large numbers basically for insurance fraud. https://www.buzzfeed.com/rosalindadams/intake
Re:Why super-smart people may be drawn to a life of crime by DougWebb on Monday March 06, 2017 @11:48AM (#13803846)
I'm sure there are exceptions for things like "I'm thinking about killing someone".